Breckenridge, the delight-fully quaint 146-year-old Victorian town in the heart of the Colorado Rockies, is home to the top-ranked Breckenridge Ski Resort. This winter season, the resort anticipates the opening of its new Imperial Express Super Chair, a high-speed quad that will be the highest chairlift in North America. The chair will reach an elevation of 12,840 feet and transport skiers and riders to the top of Breckenridge's renowned Peak 8. With a vertical rise of 939 feet and a ride time of a little more than two-and-a-half minutes, the new chairlift will serve 400 acres of Breckenridge's famed existing in-bounds double-black diamond and extreme terrain previously only accessible by hiking.

Yes, you can count on finding excellent skiing and snow boarding in Breck, as the locals call it. But this winter wonderland is also full of events, entertainment, and activities for every-one. Plan to bring the kids, as there are many on-mountain programs geared toward learning through having fun.

And remember, there's an entire town off the slopes to delight the entire family with entertainment choices such as historic mine tours and the Mountain Top Children's Museum. Breckenridge is an ideal base for cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, dog sledding, ice skating and snow mobeling. The towns two full-service Nordic Centers have more than 50 kilometers of groomed tracks, back-country tours, and snowshoe paths.

Wander downtown and you will discover the largest historic district in the state of Colorado. With more than 200 businesses, historic Main Street offers unique galleries, great souvenir shops, and more. When you are all shopped out, choose from one of many restaurants or coffee houses. Happy hours are plentiful: Après-ski is everywhere on the sunny decks overlooking the Ten Mile Range. After dark, local talent and touring musicians entertain at bars and dance clubs. Local theater also thrives. 

Consider planning your vacation around a winter event such as the Ullr Fest in early January after the Christmas and New Years holidays. This is the crazy week when Breckenridge pays homage to the Norse god of snow with activities such as the Ullympics and the legendary Main Street Parade.

There's also the annual Budweiser International Snow Sculpting Championship in January. Fantastic works of art are whittled from 12-foot-tau blocks of snow weighing more than 20 tons. Teams from around the world compete in this internationally known event.

Breckenridge is 104 miles west of Denver and 63 miles east of the Vail/Eagle County Airport. *

Calendar of Events

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